Shoestring-fastener



M. WORKMANx SHOESTRING FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28. new.

1,331,308. Patented Feb. 12 31920 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

M. WORKMAN.

SHOESTHING FASTENER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 28.1919.

1,331,308. I Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED srA'rns PATENT OFFICE.

MYRTLE WORKMAN, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIoNon or ONE-HALF T0 ROSS r.

W0RKMAN, or YORK, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHOESTRING-FASTENER.

Application filed June 28, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

.Be it known that I, MYRTLE WVORKMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at York, in the county of York, State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Shoestring-Fasteners, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in shoe stringfasteners, and more particularly to a fastener adapted to be invisiblyattached to a shoe between the upper and trimming members thereof, and

- capable of receiving the free end of the string tip.

a The object of this invention is to provide a device adapted to beattached to the upper portion of the shoe in suchmanner that it will notbe noticeable and which will firmly hold the string tip in place, butwill permit it to be disengaged therefrom by a slight ull.

p In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment ofthe invention Figure 1 is an elevation of the inside of a shoe, showingthe device in dotted lines as'applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, with the string tip in position; iFig. 3 is a top plan view of the same;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification of the device;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the stringtip in position; 7

Fig 6 is atop plan view thereof;

Fig. 7 is a front and a side view of one of the jawmembers;

Figs. 8, '9 and 10 are separate views of a further modification, showinga single spring jaw cooperating with a stationary jaw.

In general, the invention comprises in one form, a device adapted to beattached to the shoe between the upper and'trimniing members thereof,and forming a pocket provided with an open end to receive the stringtip. lVithin this pocket is arranged a-folded leaf spring, theprojecting free ends of Which Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Serial No. 307,365.

constitute the string retaining jaws. The folded portion thereof isadapted to contact with the side walls of the pocket, whereas theprojecting jaws extend into the mouth of the pocket in position toreceive the string tip. Means is also provided for guiding the tipdirectly between the spring jaws so that, when the string is inserted,it is held in the desired position until retracted by a slight pull.

In another form, the invention consists of two thin pads of suitableelastic material arranged end to end and inclosed between the upper andtrimming members of the shoe and provided with facings of metal or othersuitable substance constituting jaws. The string when inserted betweenthe metal facings or jaws will be firmly held by means of the elasticityof the pads. The facings are flared outwardly at the top to permit thestring tip to find easy entrance therebetween.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings. theinvention, as illustrated therein, includes a jaw retaining member orholder consisting of a flat plate 1, of metal or other suitable materialof any desired shape, provided preferably at its central portion with aslight outstanding bulge 2, forming a pocket to receive thespringretaining members. The interior walls of'tbe plate forming thispocket are made parallel at the lower part 3 thereof, and are'fiaredoutwardly at the top or mouth 4: of the pocket. The pocket is adapted tobe closed by a back plate 5 of suitable size and shape attached to thepocket plate in any suitable manner, as by rivets 6. It is apparent thatthe pocket plate and back plate may be integral or may take variousarrangements, all within the scope of the invention. Immediately at themouth of the pocket there is provided a guide consist ins: of atubular'member 7, integral with either plate, but in this instancepreferably formed by cutting the metal of the back plate on each side ofthe mouth except at the center and then rolling or looping the cut sidesthereof to provide the upstanding tubular guide directly over the mouthof the pocket, Arranged within the pocket is a resilient means forretaining the string tip, comprising a spring having a looped or foldedportion18, with preferably fiat parallel sides at the lower portionthereof to fit Within the parallel sides 3 of the pocket,

'- so that. it is held firmly in position. The treeends 9 of theloopedportion of the spring constitute jaw retaining members and forthis purpose the central portion of the free ends is shaped inwardly, asat 10,, sothat the. endsmeet at a line passinglon gitudinally throughthe pocket. At their" tips, the spring ends are preferablyflaredoutwardly slightly to facilitate the entrance at the strip tiptherebetween.

Other arrangements of spring members may be TGSOBtQditO for holding thestring tip within the pocket, such as a. plurality of springs or asingle freespring end co6perat-' ing with a stationary jaw member..Forinstance, in-Figs. 8, 9'and210, there1s shown a single p1ate1 1adapted to be held in any practical" manner-"between the upper andtrimming members of the shoe.- This plate is provided with an integral:guide 12,

formed as 1 before, by" slitting the plate" and rolling the free endstogether toform the tubular member. Suitably fastened within the-tubularguide, as by soldering-,spot welding-or otherwise, is a singles'pringj13, the lower portion of whioh is bent inwardly across the yaxis" of the guide into. contact with;the lower portion of the plate 11,so 7 i thatthe freeend of the springilr conjunction c with thestationary plateiforms a spring re taining member or jaws for the stringtip.

-Thedeviees5'as above describedgare adapted tof be' fastened to theshoein position: be-' tween the upper; and trimming. members hers -18 and19; Each j aw or membericonsists V of a narrow strip of metal orothersuitable thereofbymeans oi rivetspassing through the plates and theinner trimming members only as in Fig. 3. Obviously, other modes ofattaching I the device are within the scope of the invention. I

r In: another form otthe invention,- there is arranged betweenthe upperandlining memhers- 0f the shoe; two abutting elast c pads lf and" 15,intermediate the opposing end faoes'l6 'and l7 ot which areadaptedfto'ibe located die-string; retaining jawsor'memmaterialprovided'with a seriesofintegral protecting ears orflanges, as shown in Fig. 7 These flanges pro ect fr'om the opposed"faces of the" strip, the guiding face thereof being providectwithasingleflange 20, arranged at the;uppermost' part thereof, whereas theopposed face is-prov-ided with' a-plurality-oi flanges '21projectingflin the opposite direction and adapted" to" engage thezsid'esoft the elastic 1 pad.- Thetop aind b'ottom 'endsiof th eetripaare;likewise providedwith flanges 22 to engage the 110131 and 5 bottomedges of the padi" 'By nieanswfthese latter the strips are firmlyanchored in position; In addition, the uppermost edge 23 of each stripand flange 22 are flared backwardly to enable the string tip to find'easy entrance between these aws when they are in opposed position.

more, it is apparent that other means may be availedzof for attachingthe jaws or membars to the elastic pad, as at 24. If desired,

the ends ot. the pads, opposite the. abutting faces, may be wedge shapeto fitmorecompactly between the. upper and lining mem bers of the shoe.

When the j aw members 'areiplaced" in posi 1 tionbetween the pads, .theprojecting flanges engage over the edges ofthe sameito holdthejawsinopposition', the flaring ends of Obviously, any arrangement of Vprojecting fi'anges may be use'd',ancl','further thejawsproviding a:guiding entrance for the string I tip? which... is adaptedi-Jto: be heldbetween the j awsby meansof the elasticity V of the pads.-

A- device oathsbove character I and" at tached as above described,producesia construction which does 'not in: any way detract from theappearance of: the shoe and which prevent itufrom :comingauntiem Havingthus described. yinvention wh'at willkeep the bowler shoestringiniplacerand vI claim as: new andldesire to. secure byluet-zters Patent,is:

V 1. The oombina-tionlofthe upperand trimmingim embersaot a shoea stringtiprholder attached to: at' lea'stione ofisaid members and concealedbetweeni the; upper: edges; of the same; said holder comprising?twofjaws adapted to receive the :stringIY-tijj there'be'e tween, atleast-one o f sa-id jaws being yield? able. r v v r v 2. The combinationofthe upper and (trim.- ming members of a shoe, a string tin holderattached" to at least. one-of said members and concealed: between theupper edges of the same, said holder comprising; a: jaw'retaining inember; L1 spring-i haying. a V .fol de d; portion and projectingjawportions; said folded portionl adapted ito enga e the interior'iwallsof said vno ember, and said jaw portionsbeing The combination 'ofthe;upper and trim! ming members ota' shoe;.a stringtio holder attached toat] east one offsaid members and concealed between theupoer-edges offthe.

positioned to receivethestrinoitip between the up er:andtriinminglmemberss: Y V

herslofi a otfmeaanslconoealemandiaxs 105 ranged between said members atthe upper edge thereof to receive the free tip of the shoe string afterthe same has been tied and to hold the same securely in position.

5. A shoe string tip holder comprising in combination, theupper andtrimming members of a shoe, of concealed means providing a string tippocket between the upper edges of said members, said means being adaptedto receive the free end of the string and to 10 hold the same securelyin position.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

MYRTLE WORKMAN.

